Analysis of Kahn vs McCloskey fight and postfight & poll

[Crease]

Just my take on the whole story.

THE FIGHT:
It wasn't a great fight by any standards. Kahn was not at his best, (I haven't see him look so poor since the Barrera fight.) but, despite that, he was still to quick and too classy for McCloskey.

McCloskey for his part, did NOTHING. The current WBA Champion was busier and showed more desire. By my count, McCloskey landed a hook in the 2nd round, and that was his only meaningful punch of the six rounder.

I mean, COME ON! This is Paul's chance to become a Champion of the World, and he brought nothing to the table. This was his chance, and he didn't even go for it... He looked lame and satified with his lot.
(And if this is a poor shwoing from Kahn, it concludes how limited McCloskey is)

POSTFIGHT:
It was a shame to see the situation turn sour at the postfight press conference. There was a lot of bitterness and ill-feeling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyDfUaXUDx4

Although I would like to see McCloskey do well, this is a fight that he SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN!
As the six rounder proved, he just doesn't have the tools to beat Amir Kahn.

And for his part, (though I think he is a bit of a prick) Amir Kahn is right what he's saying:

Kahn said a few things about McCloskey.
"I won that fight, he never won a round, not one."
As can be read on the judges scorecards
"He's a tricky fighter at European level"
Paul has done nothing to prove (yet) that he can take the step into World-Class.
"He won't beat Maidana"
And I agree with that as well, though if Paul did beat him he would prove himself to be world-class.

REMATCH?
The heckling and the hustling at the conference for a rematch is completely unwarranted.

The referee called the ringside doctor in and the dcotor judged that he couldn't continue...

McCloskey had his chance and was well-beaten. I don't bame him, John Breen should be blamed to put him in the ring with a fighter that he can't beat.

McCloskey should avoid Bradley, Alexander and Maidana in the future, all of whom would stop him within 12 rounds...

The furtherest Paul can go is fighting the likes of Peterson or Mabuza.
Atfer last night, Paul proved his limitations, he never won a single round and this injury and been somehwat of a get out for him.

NO there should not be a rematch because it was not a close fight.

[Scottrf]

Both no's.

[Deno1986]

Khan*

McCloskey did not do much for the first six rounds but he wasn't taking a lot of punishment as Khan was missing alot. It's hard to judge a performance and game plan when the fight is called to a halt halfway through. Khan may well have dominated for 12 rounds but that is only people's assumptions. Prefight, the majority of people said McCloskey wouldn't last 4 rounds. In general, McCloskey is a slow starter anyway and this point seems to have been ignored across the board.

A rematch won't happen but I do believe the fight has opened doors for McCloskey.

[doctorboxing]

"Yes. Paul were hard for this"

I don't really know what to make of this option in your poll

[Crease]

"Yes. Paul were hard for this"

I don't really know what to make of this option in your poll

It was a typing mistake, I have rectified it.

[Carbo]

Just watched the fight, and Khan definitely took a backward step last weekend.

Bad habits returned: his jab was lazy, leaving him exposed; he had happy feet which were doing a little tap dance for most of the fight; he was lunging in again instead of moving his feet; his hooks were shoe-shine flicks; he clearly didn't have the same crisp power that put Maidana on his ass from a body shot or overwhelmed Salita; and he generally fought jittery and wild.

In saying that, it is perhaps understandable given the change in training routine (coming to England rather than training for the full fight at the Wild Card); the difficulty of getting himself up for a fight he was expected to win easily; the palaver surrounding the PPV side of things; and the fact this was clearly a marking time/easy money making fight sandwiched between the biggies of Maidana and Bradley.

But Roach can't be happy with what he saw, and if he's to beat Bradley, he'll have to stamp right on this terrible habits which seem ready to creep back into Khan's game as soon as Roach isn't stamping on their embers.

Maybe it's a good thing that it came now, as he still won easily and it'll give Roach ammunition with which to knock down Khan's cockiness and re-focus him for the big fight.

[Brit Ryan]

"Yes. Paul were hard for this"

I don't really know what to make of this option in your poll

It was a typing mistake, I have rectified it.

Are you going to rectify the spelling of Amir KHAN's name now?

[Chambers2]

He deserves a rematch, but can understand why he won't get one.

It's harsh on McCloskey, but bring on Bradley!

[Carbo]

He deserves a rematch, but can understand why he won't get one.

It's harsh on McCloskey, but bring on Bradley!

I can understand why people might think he deserves a rematch, because he wasn't hurt, and hadn't been hurt once, and the fight was stopped ridiculously prematurely. However, what had he done to suggest that the fight would be any different next time? Khan fought below par, and still managed to dominate every round bar the fifth, which was still a clear Khan win. McCloskey showed little attacking danger, and I'd be surprised if he managed to land more than 25 clean punches of any kind across the 5 an a half rounds.

Khan also has plenty of big options, with Bradley almost a given, and then potential against Alexander and Ortiz.

So I really don't see why Khan should feel obliged in anyway.

On the stoppage, I can see why Roach felt that McCloskey wasn't exactly unhappy with the stoppage: he didn't make that much of a fuss. But McCloskey's explanation for this -- that he knew he was cut, saw the doctor, asked if it was bad and before he knew it what was happening saw the fight had been called off -- rings true for me. I don't think he was looking for a way out.

The cut itself was worse than Barry Hearn has made out, and it certainly could have developed into something very nasty, but then, it hadn't yet developed into something dangerous and the fight should have been allowed to continue.

Poor decision from the ref, and, for future reference, McCloskey needs to learn that if he doesn't want increasingly cautious doctors to stop him in such situations, his default action should be to vehemently deny any problems and act desperate for the fight to continue.

[Feargal....]

McCloskey should avoid Bradley, Alexander and Maidana in the future, all of whom would stop him within 12 rounds...

Crease what's the point in boxing unless your willing to fight the best?????????

[Counter-puncher]

ANYONE ELSE THINK KOTELNIK WOULD HANDLE MCCLOSKEY PRETTY EASILY?

[dgibbo87]

I actually do think that Paul McCloskey showed himself to be a world class fighter but he was just in a ring with a guy who I believe will be boxing's next superstar when Mayweather and Pacquaio go. Freddie Roach didnt say Khan would be his next champion for nothing! I actually thought Khan performed well he was just in with a guy who was a very good fighter himself. McCloskey used his shoulders very well to stay out of punishment and had an unusual defence when covering up and hadnt been in too much trouble, he was hurt once in the fifth but that was it. I dont think there is any light welterweights and maybe even welterweights in the world that can hang with Khan.

I think Bradley is a great fighter but I see Amir stopping Bradley or decisioning him and then moving up to the welterweights. I dont see any welterweights beating him apart from Pacquaio and Mayweather. If he went in the ring with either fighter what a fight it would be.

[crusader]

ANYONE ELSE THINK KOTELNIK WOULD HANDLE MCCLOSKEY PRETTY EASILY?

Yes. McCloskey is a clear level below fighters like Kotelnik imo. I don't think McCloskey would have beat any of Amir's recent opponents, with the expection of Salita.

[Horse]

ANYONE ELSE THINK KOTELNIK WOULD HANDLE MCCLOSKEY PRETTY EASILY?

I think McCloskey would beat Kotelnik.

[Dioufy]

ANYONE ELSE THINK KOTELNIK WOULD HANDLE MCCLOSKEY PRETTY EASILY?

Oi, that'd be a sexy fight.

[Carbo]

I haven't see enough of McCloskey to offer a detailed opinion, but from what I've seen, Kotelnik would be favourite.

[slapbangwhallop]

He deserves a rematch, but can understand why he won't get one.

It's harsh on McCloskey, but bring on Bradley!

I can understand why people might think he deserves a rematch, because he wasn't hurt, and hadn't been hurt once, and the fight was stopped ridiculously prematurely. However, what had he done to suggest that the fight would be any different next time? Khan fought below par, and still managed to dominate every round bar the fifth, which was still a clear Khan win. McCloskey showed little attacking danger, and I'd be surprised if he managed to land more than 25 clean punches of any kind across the 5 an a half rounds.

Khan also has plenty of big options, with Bradley almost a given, and then potential against Alexander and Ortiz.

So I really don't see why Khan should feel obliged in anyway.

On the stoppage, I can see why Roach felt that McCloskey wasn't exactly unhappy with the stoppage: he didn't make that much of a fuss. But McCloskey's explanation for this -- that he knew he was cut, saw the doctor, asked if it was bad and before he knew it what was happening saw the fight had been called off -- rings true for me. I don't think he was looking for a way out.

The cut itself was worse than Barry Hearn has made out, and it certainly could have developed into something very nasty, but then, it hadn't yet developed into something dangerous and the fight should have been allowed to continue.

Poor decision from the ref, and, for future reference, McCloskey needs to learn that if he doesn't want increasingly cautious doctors to stop him in such situations, his default action should be to vehemently deny any problems and act desperate for the fight to continue.

I've said it before, I'll say it again, Carbo is the best poster on BoxRec!

[Carbo]

He deserves a rematch, but can understand why he won't get one.

It's harsh on McCloskey, but bring on Bradley!

I can understand why people might think he deserves a rematch, because he wasn't hurt, and hadn't been hurt once, and the fight was stopped ridiculously prematurely. However, what had he done to suggest that the fight would be any different next time? Khan fought below par, and still managed to dominate every round bar the fifth, which was still a clear Khan win. McCloskey showed little attacking danger, and I'd be surprised if he managed to land more than 25 clean punches of any kind across the 5 an a half rounds.

Khan also has plenty of big options, with Bradley almost a given, and then potential against Alexander and Ortiz.

So I really don't see why Khan should feel obliged in anyway.

On the stoppage, I can see why Roach felt that McCloskey wasn't exactly unhappy with the stoppage: he didn't make that much of a fuss. But McCloskey's explanation for this -- that he knew he was cut, saw the doctor, asked if it was bad and before he knew it what was happening saw the fight had been called off -- rings true for me. I don't think he was looking for a way out.

The cut itself was worse than Barry Hearn has made out, and it certainly could have developed into something very nasty, but then, it hadn't yet developed into something dangerous and the fight should have been allowed to continue.

Poor decision from the ref, and, for future reference, McCloskey needs to learn that if he doesn't want increasingly cautious doctors to stop him in such situations, his default action should be to vehemently deny any problems and act desperate for the fight to continue.

I've said it before, I'll say it again, Carbo is the best poster on BoxRec!

Have you really said it before? Never seen it.

Well, bless you, and know that my ego is in constant need of boosting, so feel free to praise away, friend.

[fasteddie]

its a once in a life time chance to challenge for a major title and to have it taken away by a cut is sad for paul i think they should have a rematch,if khan thinks he would of knocked him out in 2 more rounds and was just getting into his stryde then an 8 round sparring session wouldnt effect his unification plans would it? but if khan had a few problems with mccloskeys style then he wont have a rematch with him, i think mccloskey would of got to khan late but we will never know

[bynino]

I thought Mcloskey made khan look bad. Mostly by swaying a lot and ducking his head under punches. Mccloskey was never in a position to take advantage of khans misses. A few wild uppercuts from mccloskey which never found the target. And the punches that did land didnt trouble Khan at all. That said, if Khan is a genuine world class operator, he would have come out thinking "Im getting 1mill less for this fight, im going to take him out early and go home". However he struggle badly. His accuracy was poor. He didn't look calm in there at all. It was almost like the pressure from the media and the PPV going tits up made Khan a little nervous. I didnt like the post-match presser either. I would have liked him to have been honest. And said something like "I was poor that fight, but a lot of things went wrong pre-fight etc etc" instead he sounded like a spoilt kid. I understand that boxers have to have an air of arrogance and superiority about them. But Khan just sounded like he was going to cry.